Okay. So basically, since I'm nearing the end of high school (I still have a little bit of time, but I want to plan ahead as much as I can) I have been really looking into colleges recently.

I know money is going to be tight already (Because when isn't it tight?), so i'll have to do financial aid + scholarships as much as I can.

I'm just wondering how you manage having a horse, plus having school? I have a friend who might possibly be willing to help me out with a place to keep my horse(s?) during this process, but they are a bit longer of a drive then I would like, so I would like if I have the money to board.

So I found a boarding place close to the college of choice for about $200/month, full care.

Would you consider this do-able? I have full intentions of (Obviously) getting a job, because frankly I refuse to even mildly sink into the money-crisis hole without putting up as much of a fight as I can. I have a lot saved up now and I will have a lot after I sell all the stuff and horses I can't take with me.

So as if one horse isn't bad enough, would I be insane to consider buying a prospect as well before hitting the college road?

I just want to know what you all think, and if any if you have done this. I'm looking at $500/month from my financial aid, but obviously I'll need more than that. (Hence the job and savings) and unfortunately I'll have to live on-campus during the term. Grrr. XD

I didn't have horses in college but I worked full time and went to school. I was exhausted pretty much the whole 4 years. If I were you I would skip buying a prospect and stick with one horse the first year until you see how doable it is in reality. Things always look better on paper.

Also I've known a lot of people who struggle their freshman year in general because the environment is so very different. I went from straight A's in high school to failing a class and barely passing another my freshman year. I had to work double hard the rest of college to pull my gpa back up. Taking on a prospect right before such a huge life change strikes me as a bad idea. I would wait if I were you on that part.Posted via Mobile Device

Yeah, I think you'd be nuts to even entertain the idea of buying another horse right now. Just stick with the one you have and see how it goes. Maybe you'll have to take up your friend's offer if you can't afford board, at least to start out with.

That's guys, that was exactly what I was thinking....I know for a fact I can't give up y gelding. The thought of him not being with me makes me sick, and I actually tried selling him and he was gone for a little while and I had to buy him back because I couldn't handle it even though I had other horses.

I didn't get my horse until college, actually. I would KILL for $200 full care board. Mine was $285, then I left for the summer (I work as a wrangler at a summer camp so I brought my mare with this summer). She just got dropped off back at the barn today and my board has gone up $100.. My BO loves me so he's letting me work some of it off so it's not so ridiculous. I also don't live on campus and just had to finance a new car because I go to school 300 miles from home and my old car couldn't do it anymore.

Thankfully, FAFSA pays my entire tuition (which isn't actually very much anyway. I go to a Division II college). My bf is paying for all of the apartment bills because he's not in school and has a job that pays well enough for him to do so. We will barely scrape by for quite some time.. I'm used to going and going. In high school, I worked 30 hours a week and would be gone from 7:45am to 9 or so pm most week nights. It'll be the same way for me now. At least I only have 1 class Mondays/Wednesdays and Fridays off, I need to work at least 25-30 hours a week to pay all of my bills and I use riding and working with my mare as a time to relax. A lot of the time, I'll be too tired and worn out to ride, so I'll just go and groom her for an hour.

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